This phase II trial studies the effect of ascorbic acid and combination chemotherapy in treating patients with lymphoma that has come back (recurrent) or does not respond to therapy (refractory), clonal cytopenia of undetermined significance and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML). Ascorbic acid may make cancer cells more sensitive to chemotherapy. Drugs used in chemotherapy, work in different ways to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Giving ascorbic acid and combination chemotherapy may kill more cancer cells.
PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. To determine the overall response rate (ORR) at the end of 2 cycles for intravenous (IV) ascorbic acid (AA) added to standard salvage therapy compared to standard salvage therapy plus normal saline in patients with relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who have relapsed within the first 24 months of end of their therapy. \[Arms A versus (vs) B\] II. To determine the ORR at the end of 2 cycles of AA plus standard salvage chemotherapy in patients with other types of relapsed/refractory lymphomas not eligible for Arms A/B \[peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL), double-hit high grade, and Hodgkin lymphoma (HL)\]. (Arm C) III. To assess the hematological response rate to treatment with high dose intravenous ascorbic acid (IV AA) for clonal cytopenia of undetermined significance (CCUS) patients. (Arm D) IV. To assess the hematological response rate to treatment with high dose intravenous ascorbic acid (IV AA) for CCUS patients. (Arm E) SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. To compare the adverse event profile of IV AA added to salvage therapy versus salvage therapy plus IV saline in patients with DLBCL using both the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) and Patient-Reported Outcomes (PRO)-CTCAE. (Arms A and B) II. To compare the progression-free survival, overall survival, clinical benefit rate (those not progressing), and percentage (%) transplant eligible patients proceeding to transplant of AA added to salvage therapy versus salvage therapy plus IV saline in patients with DLBCL. (Arms A and B) III. To compare the ORR at the end of 4 cycles for those with minor response/stable disease at the end of cycle 2 who proceed to receive the additional 2 cycles of rituximab, dexamethasone, cytarabine and cisplatin (RDHAP) with either AA or normal saline (NS) as previously assigned. (Arms A and B) IV. To evaluate the adverse event profile, rate of febrile neutropenia, overall survival, progression-free survival, and clinical benefit rate of AA added to salvage therapy in patients with relapsed/refractory lymphoma. (Arm C) V. To assess safety/tolerability, transfusion dependency (TD), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) for CCUS patients receiving high dose IV AA. (Arm D) VI. To define CR, complete cytogenetic remission, partial remission, marrow response, and clinical benefit response rates. (Arm E) VII. To determine clinical benefit response rates of erythroid response, platelet response, neutrophil response, spleen response and symptom response as adjudicated by the Myeloproliferative Neoplasm Symptom Assessment Form (MPN-SAF) total symptom scoring system. (Arm E) EXPLORATORY OBJECTIVES: I. Will include baseline AA levels \[at Mayo Clinic Research (MCR)\] and staining of pre/post treatment biopsies for markers of oxidative stress generation and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) methylation. (Arms A, B, and C Correlative Research on blood and tumor tissue) IIa. To assess TET2 activity at baseline, weeks 12, 20, and 52. (Arm D correlative research) IIb. To assess the association between using AA and the hydroxymethylation and methylation status (gene-specific and global changes in 5mC/5hmC level) at baseline and weeks 20 and 52. (Arm D correlative research) IIc. To assess the association between using IV AA and endothelial dysfunction (at baseline, weeks 20, and 52). (Arm D correlative research) IId. To assess the association between using IV AA and the inflammation markers. (Arm D correlative research) IIe. To assess the association between using IV AA and molecular response including clonal dynamics \[new mutations and variant allele frequency (VAF)\] (at baseline, weeks 20, and 52). (Arm D correlative research) III. Correlative studies will assess impact on: IIIa. Somatic mutational allele burdens after 4 cycles of therapy; IIIb. DNA methylation and hydroxymethylation after 4 cycles of therapy; IIIc. Inflammatory cytokines; IIId. Colony forming assay growth and differentiation; IIIe. Methylation at the single colony level; IIIf. Single cell methylation, transcription, and somatic mutations. (Arm E correlative research) OUTLINE: Patients with DLBCL are randomized to Arms A or B. Patients with other lymphomas are assigned to Arm C. Patients with CCUS are assigned to Arm D. Patients with TET2 mutant CMML are assigned to ARM E. Arm A: Patients receive ascorbic acid IV on days 1, 3, 5, 8, 10, 12, 15, 17, and 19, and rituximab intravenously (IV), ifosfamide IV, carboplatin IV and etoposide IV on days 1-3. Patients who achieve minor response (MR) or stable disease (SD) after 2 cycles may receive rituximab IV or PO, cisplatin IV or PO, cytarabine IV or PO, and dexamethasone IV or PO. Treatment repeats every 21 days for up to 4 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. ARM B: Patients receive placebo (normal saline) IV on days 1, 3, 5, 8, 10, 12, 15, 17, and 19, and rituximab intravenously IV, ifosfamide IV, carboplatin IV and etoposide IV on days 1-3. Patients who achieve MR or SD after 2 cycles may receive rituximab IV or PO, cisplatin IV or PO, cytarabine IV or PO, and dexamethasone IV or PO. Treatment repeats every 21 days for up to 4 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. ARM C: Patients receive ascorbic acid IV on days 1, 3, 5, 8, 10, 12, 15, 17, and 19. Patients also receive ifosfamide, carboplatin, and etoposide IV or PO, or cisplatin, cytarabine, and dexamethasone IV or PO, or gemcitabine hydrochloride, dexamethasone, and cisplatin IV or PO, or gemcitabine hydrochloride and oxaliplatin IV or PO, or oxaliplatin, cytarabine, and dexamethasone IV or PO according to standard regimen schedule. Treatment repeats every 21 days for up to 4 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients who achieve MR or SD after 2 cycles may switch to an alternative chemotherapy regimen. ARM D: Patients receive ascorbic acid IV three times a week (TIW). Treatments repeat every 28 days for up to 3 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. ARM E: Patients receive ascorbic acid IV on days 1, 3 and 5 and decitabine IV over 1 hour on days 1-5. Treatment repeats every 28 days for up to 12 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients with stable disease after 12 cycles may continue decitabine with or without ascorbic acid as long as clinically appropriate. Patients may also take vitamin C PO on days 6-28. In Arms A, B, and C, patients who achieve complete response (CR), partial response (PR) or MR may undergo stem cell transplantation. Patients additionally, undergo blood sample collection, core needle biopsy, bone marrow aspiration and biopsy, echocardiography (ECHO), positron emission tomography (PET)/ computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) throughout study. Patients in ARM D and E undergo peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) or portacath placement prior to starting treatment, blood sample collection, bone marrow aspiration and biopsy throughout study. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up every 3 months, then every 6 months after progressive disease for up to 2 years.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
80
Given IV
Given IV or PO
Given IV or PO
Given IV or PO
Given IV or PO
Given IV or PO
Given IV or PO
Given IV or PO
Correlative studies
Given IV or PO
Given normal saline IV
Ancillary studies
Given IV
Given IV
Undergo blood sample collection
Undergo core needle biopsy
Undergo bone marrow aspiration and biopsy
Undergo bone marrow aspiration and biopsy
Undergo ECHO
Undergo PET/CT
Undergo MRI
Undergo PICC placement
Undergo portacath placement
Undergo PET/CT
Mayo Clinic Health Systems-Mankato
Mankato, Minnesota, United States
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGMayo Clinic in Rochester
Rochester, Minnesota, United States
RECRUITINGMayo Clinic Health System-Eau Claire Clinic
Eau Claire, Wisconsin, United States
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGMayo Clinic Health System-Franciscan Healthcare
La Crosse, Wisconsin, United States
ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITINGOverall response rate (ORR) (Arms A and B)
Defined as an objective status of complete response (CR) or partial response (PR) evaluated by Response Evaluation Criteria in Lymphoma (RECIL) criteria after 2 courses of treatment in all arms. Will be compared between the two arms. The proportion of successes will be estimated in each arm by the number of successes divided by the total number of evaluable patients. Exact binomial ninety-five percent confidence intervals for the true success proportion will be calculated in each arm. For the diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) arms, comparison of overall response rates between the two treatment groups will be performed using a one-sided chi-square test at significance level 0.10.
Time frame: Up to 2 years
ORR (Arm C)
Defined as an objective status of CR or PR evaluated by RECIL criteria after 2 cycles of treatment. The proportion of successes will be estimated by the number of successes divided by the total number of evaluable patients. Exact binomial ninety-five percent confidence intervals for the true success proportion will be calculated in each arm.
Time frame: Up to 2 years
Hematologic response (HI) rate (Arm D)
Defined as an objective status of HI-E (minor or major response), HI-P, or HI-N evaluated by Myelodysplastic Syndrome International Working Group (IWIG) 2018 criteria at 20 weeks. Exact binomial ninety-five percent confidence intervals for the true success proportion will be calculated in each arm.
Time frame: At 20 weeks
Overall Response Rate (ORR) in Arm E
Defined as an objective status of complete remission, complete cytogenetic remission, partial remission, bone marrow response, or clinical benefit after 4 cycles of therapy as defined by the 2015 IWG myelodysplastic syndrome/ myeloproliferative neoplasm response criteria.
Time frame: At completion of cycle 4 (each cycle is 21 days)
Clinical benefit rate (Arms A, B, and C)
Will be estimated in each arm by the number of patients who achieve a CR, PR, minor response (MR), or stable disease (SD) on the cycle 2 response assessment divided by the total number of evaluable patients. Exact binomial 95% confidence intervals for the true success rate will be calculated. The clinical benefit rate will be compared between the DLBCL arms using the chi-square test (or Fisher's exact test if the data in the contingency table is sparse).
Time frame: Up to 2 years
Overall survival
The distribution of overall survival will be estimated in each arm using the method of Kaplan-Meier. In the DLBCL arms, the comparison of overall survival between the two treatment arms will be based on the log-rank test.
Time frame: From registration to death due to any cause, assessed up to 2 years
Progression-free survival
The distribution of progression-free survival will be estimated in each arm using the method of Kaplan-Meier. In the DLBCL arms, the comparison of progression-free survival between the two treatment arms will be based on the log-rank test.
Time frame: From date of first treatment to the earliest date of documentation of disease progression or death due to any cause, assessed up to 2 years
Percent of transplant eligible patients proceeding to transplant (Arms A, B and C)
Will be estimated in each arm by the number of patients proceeding to transplant divided by the total number of patients who were considered transplant eligible. Exact binomial 95% confidence intervals for the true success rate will be calculated. The rate will be compared between the DLBCL arms using the chi-square test (or Fisher's exact test if the data in the contingency table is sparse).
Time frame: Up to 2 years
Transfusion dependency (Arm D)
Transfusion dependency will be summarized descriptively. The number of patients transfusion dependent at baseline and during follow-up will be summarized.
Time frame: Up to 2 years
Incidence of adverse events
Assessed using Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE). The maximum grade for each type of adverse event will be recorded for each patient, and frequency tables will be reviewed to determine patterns. Additionally, the relationship of the adverse event(s) to the study treatment will be taken into consideration. In the DLBCL arms, the overall adverse event rates for Grade 3 or higher hematologic and non-hematologic adverse events at least possibly related to treatment will be compared between the two treatment groups using the chi-square test (or Fisher's exact test if the data in the contingency table is sparse). The rate of febrile neutropenia will be evaluated in each arm.
Time frame: Up to 2 years
Incidence of adverse events
Assessed using Patient Reported Outcomes (PRO)-CTCAE (Arms A and B). PRO-CTCAE scores range from 0-4, with corresponding response choices for frequency (Never / Rarely / Occasionally / Frequently / Almost constantly), for severity (None / Mild / Moderate / Severe / Very severe) and interference (Not at all / A little bit / Somewhat / Quite a bit / Very much). The scores for each type of adverse event will be recorded for each patient, and frequency tables will be reviewed to determine patterns. PRO-CTCAE scores will be compared between the two treatment groups using the chi-square test (or Fisher's exact test if the data in the contingency table is sparse).
Time frame: Up to 2 years
Continued salvage therapy beyond cycle 2 (Arm A, B and C)
Will be assessed by evaluating the number of patients who achieve an improved response after cycle 4 compared to the cycle 2 assessment in patients who received additional cycles of ascorbic acid/placebo added to salvage therapy beyond cycle 2. In addition, the number of patients who changed salvage therapies after cycle 2 will be assessed. This analysis will be primarily descriptive.
Time frame: Up to 2 years
Clinical benefit rate (Arm E)
The rates of complete response, complete cytogenetic remission, partial remission, marrow response, and clinical benefit will be estimated by the number of patients with each response type divided by the number of evaluable patients.
Time frame: Up to 2 years
Hematologic response rate in Arm E
The rates of erythroid response, platelet response, neutrophil response, spleen response and symptom response will be estimated by the number of patients with each response type divided by the number of evaluable patients.
Time frame: Up to 2 years
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